


Arcades and Resurrected Dreams

by SilenceAndLightning



Series: Drake's Tavern [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff, Mysterious Bartender Name Reveal, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-27 20:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20766215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilenceAndLightning/pseuds/SilenceAndLightning
Summary: After the Pride Month Party, and a few casual meetings for drinks, our mysterious bartender finally has an actual date scheduled with Amélie. Little does she suspect Amélie's secret side-career of antagonizing Hana via video games. Also in this chapter, our mysterious bartender's name is finally revealed!





	Arcades and Resurrected Dreams

For what has to be the tenth time in the last minute, I check the time on my phone. 2:50. I'm ten minutes early, and let's be honest - I'm either going to spend the extra time checking my phone, or staring at my reflection in the bus stop's mirror and second-guessing my hair, and my clothes, and...

A passing man gives me a look of concern when I shriek in frustration and smooth my stubborn hair down again. This is a mistake. I know it is. I have no business whatsoever being on this date. I'm an absolute mess, the dictionary definition of disaster lesbian, and she's... Well, for one, she's famous. She's the best in the world at what she does. I'm a bartender in the kind of place that you learn to ignore having your ass pinched.

Terrible, absolutely horrid idea to be on this date. I kick a discarded can and turn to leave.

And there she is, in my face. I stammer a greeting, and Amélie ignores the awkwardness, kissing my cheek as I fumble over words. She brushes past my concerns with the ease of nobility. "Did you wait long?"

Words fail me. I shake my head and stare at her. She's dressed so casually, and yet she makes the combination of sandals, shorts and a black hooded sweatshirt — with a spider-web motif, naturally — so elegant. I'm rethinking my jeans and blouse.

I'm still rethinking it when Amélie takes my arm and drags me along. We manage to walk for probably two or three minutes before I realize she's directing me somewhere.

"Uh. Where are we going?" This is a part of the city I've never been to before. It's very fashionable; boutiques, the sort of theaters they have premieres at, and the restaurants that have fenced-in sidewalk seating.

"To antagonize Hana." Amélie gives me a vicious smile and slips on sunglasses; she lets go of my arm long enough to tie her hair up.

"Is this a good idea?" I'm hesitant. They're - well, the Overwatch people aren't my friends yet, but we're kind of on track towards that.

"She'll never know it was us." Amélie drags me into an arcade, of all places, and soon we're at a cabinet. Some kind of bullet hell game.

She slips in her token, and I realize that the dexterity and patience of sniping apparently translate well to video games, because she is just demolishing this game. Notifications keep flashing at the corner of the screen, informing us that she's passing player after player on the high score list.

There's another notification - Amélie has reached the spot, beating a player who's put in their name as SONG. As soon as I realize who that is, she's moving to another game. Apparently her plan is to crush all of Hana's scores; Amélie is using the name REALSONG. I can't help snickering at the pettiness, though I do wonder why I'm here. I'm not much use besides moral support in this situation.

"I'm going to get a drink. Want anything?"

"Whatever you're having is fine." She shoots me a smile, and I wander off to the machines. Iced coffee sounds good.

I'm bringing two cans back when I run into a familiar face - Satya. She stares at me with that confused recognition, the look you give someone when you know you know them but not how. "You're... The bartender? The one Amélie likes?"

I nod. "Yeah. She brought me here, actually."

"Ah. I am here with Olivia." She points to the dancing games, where Olivia — Sombra — is engaged in an intense game against, of all people, Amélie.

"So... I guess we're both accessories." I shrug and offer her a can. I'll just get Amélie another one when they're done. The two of us sit on a bench and watch the match.

"She smiles more now," Satya says. For the first time I notice the odd pacing of her words, like she isn't used to conversation. Like she has to carefully evaluate every phrase. "I do not understand your effect on her."

"Yeah, me either." I squint at her, start to ask if Amélie's shown interest in anyone like me before, but I think better of it and just sip my coffee instead.

"But I do not understand Olivia's effect on myself, either. Perhaps we are not meant to understand."

I start to think more about Satya's words as I watch. Olivia and Amélie are seemingly playful. They're jostling each other about, cheating in a teasing fashion. There's light banter thrown back and forth. For all appearances, they're two good friends, but Amélie never smiles, even though Olivia has a constant goofy grin.

I don't think I've ever seen her smile, except when she's directly interacting with me. I'm not sure how I feel about the implication — the weight — of apparently being the only thing that makes her happy, and I mention as much to Satya.

"I often wonder if Olivia feels the same about me," she replies at length. "But, I do not think you are the sole source of happiness. I think that Amélie simply does not smile, and she purposefully attempts to as an easier method of conveying emotion to you than speaking it, which is rather difficult for her."

Satya is more straightforward than I expected. Such a deep dive into Amélie's psyche almost feels like I'm violating her somehow by hearing this.

At the same time, I'm finding a kinship with Satya in the fact that we're just here because for whatever reason, our girlfriends want us here, and I guess that's okay.

The game ends with the two of them tied, and there are promises of a rematch — and a wager — as they come back to us. Amélie smiles again and sits with me. I offer to get more coffee, but she just shares mine, and Olivia shares Satya's. Something about this feels right, I guess.

We sit for a while, making small talk with Olivia and Satya. After they leave, Amélie gets up and offers me a hand. "Enough of our prank," she tells me. "Shall we go to dinner, or is there something you would enjoy doing?"

"I don't really have any hobbies," I mutter. I haven't let myself have hobbies, in truth. Ever since my running dreams died, I've focused so much on work and being an Overwatch fangirl that I just haven't had time for anything else.

"Then we will find you one." I let her lead me out of the arcade, and we walk the streets hand in hand, window-shopping. "What do you enjoy?"

"Running? I used to be a runner, until the cybernetic stuff killed the dream. I actually wanted to join Overwatch back then, but I didn't really have any marketable skills besides running."

"You still could." Three words that stopped me in my tracks. Even 'I love you' wouldn't have hit me as hard as those three did.

"I could?" I pray she can't hear the bare, fragile hope in the question.

"With the sponsorship of an existing member, though... Well, you need a, how did you say it - a marketable skill. Are you fast?"

"I was."

"Can you be fast again?"

I nod, more certain of that than I am of anything. I don't run professionally anymore, but I haven't stopped running.

"A scout, perhaps? You will need weapon training... I can make arrangements, if you like."

I nod again, afraid to speak and break the magic spell that's giving me an actual chance to accomplish my dream.

Amélie faces me, takes my hands in hers. "I will teach you myself." Before I can nod again, she kisses me, and before I can realize she's kissing me, she steps away.

"Come to our headquarters at nine tomorrow morning, Lena."


End file.
